JOHANNESBURG : Shane Watson and Phil Hughes shared a century opening
partnership as Australia made a strong start to their first innings on
the second day of the second and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on
Thursday.Australia were 169 for no wicket at lunch in reply to South Africa's 266 all out.Watson,
showing no sign of the hamstring injury which kept him off the field
for more than two hours on the first day, played some crunching drives
as he advanced to 76 not out, while Hughes was strong square of the
wicket as he made 85 not out.The Australians scored at more
than five runs an over during an extended morning's play, with South
Africa able to bowl only three maiden overs.The host nation
missed an opportunity to claim Hughes' wicket when the batsman got a
thin edge to a ball from Jacques Kallis which then went on to his pad
and through to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. The South Africans appealed
and Hughes, on 38, was given not out by umpire Ian Gould. The South
Africans did not seek a television review.In contrast to the
first day, play resumed under an overcast sky and there was some early
movement for the fast bowlers. Watson was beaten outside the off stump
by both Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander as the Australian pair made a
cautious start.The tempo lifted in the fifth over when
Hughes punched Philander through the covers for four. In the next over
Watson pulled a short ball from Steyn for six and Hughes hit another
boundary in the same over.The fifty was posted in the 13th
over as Australia sailed past their humiliating 47 all out in the second
innings of the first Test and with the clouds clearing the batsmen took
control.
